lawbreaking 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of lawbreakingnext
as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority some sociologists specialize in studying the lawbreaking elements of society

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lawbreaking

2 of 2

noun

1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lawbreaking
Noun
Similarly, Newport Beach had warned partygoers to avoid lawbreaking before the takeover. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 These are discrete allegations of lawbreaking, and any remedy must match their magnitude. — David B McGarry, Oc Register, 8 July 2026 Leifman has been leading the charge for a facility that judges could use as an alternative to Miami-Dade’s jails for people whose mental illnesses seem to be the main driver behind their lawbreaking. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026 Both Goss and DeVries agreed senior citizens should notify police if residents have been victims of scams or have concerns before moving ahead with possible lawbreaking schemes. — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026 In an effort to send a message to any minors planning to descend on the Jersey Shore for a weekend of lawbreaking and recklessness, Vaz is vowing to prosecute both the offending child and their parents. — Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026 These criminal employers profit from lawbreaking. — CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 The sponsor of the employer crime bill said that lawbreaking was wrong and the bill is constitutional. — Idaho Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026 Barack Obama pledged to look forward and not backwards, not only closing the door on prosecutions for executive lawbreaking but also failing to hold accountable those responsible for the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession. — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawbreaking
  1. criminal
  2. crime
  3. criminality
  4. rebellious
  5. violation
  6. illicit
  7. sin
  8. felony
Adjective
  • As part of her release conditions, she has been ordered to stay away from her 13-year-old daughter while the criminal case proceeds.
    — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • In some regions, a single medical examiner may oversee hundreds of deaths each year, leading to bottlenecks that can slow criminal cases, complicate insurance claims, and leave families waiting months and sometimes years for answers.
    — Gregory McDonald, STAT, 13 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Prosecutors contend the shooting endangered others at Kirk’s campus event — an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Despite the unlikely duo closing in, the crime ring pushes past their limits, putting everything on the line for their beliefs — and their most ambitious heist yet.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 10 July 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • The administration says the best way to stop such abuses and criminality is to disincentivize immigrant children from coming in the first place.
    — Mica Rosenberg, ProPublica, 6 July 2026
  • In that context, the language of immigrant criminality becomes part of the rationale for detention rules, enforcement surges and legal changes that treat noncitizens as a standing public safety risk.
    — Donathan L. Brown, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
Definition of criminality
Adjective
  • For seven seasons, a hodgepodge crew mixing Starfleet and the rebellious Maquis put aside their differences after they got zapped 70,000 lightyears away from Earth, deep into the uncharted Delta Quadrant.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
  • This could bring about sudden ideas, or trigger rebellious impulses and creative imagination.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of rebellious
Noun
  • On June 27, 2026, at Trinity Pride Fest in Fort Worth, Texas, street preachers Richard Penkoski and David Grisham were subjected to multiple violations of their First Amendment rights while attempting to preach on public property.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • However, Pregen said city inspectors later signed an affidavit of compliance certifying Martinez had corrected the violations roughly two months ago.
    — Larry Seward, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Definition of violation
Adjective
  • An ‘illicit relationship’ John Cotham met Yaffe at Gold’s Gym in 2008, according to Yaffe’s counterclaim.
    — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026
  • The state does offer two black plates, but a third, illicit version has been spotted on the roads.
    — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
Definition of illicit
Noun
  • But there are plenty of sins against the rules of cinematic chastity that marked that movement, such as the ample space made for Lasse Aagaard’s affecting, low-key score that amps up the anxiety as Vibeke starts to spiral.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • Drop Shots 😱 A player in the girls’ singles was disqualified from her match after committing a cardinal Wimbledon sin.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Under the new law, a subsequent stalking offense against the same spouse can be elevated to a felony, increasing the potential punishment for repeat offenders.
    — Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The bill largely mirrors an existing law in Orange County, where former Supervisor Andrew Do pleaded guilty in 2024 to felony bribery in a sweeping corruption scandal.
    — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
Definition of felony

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Cite this Entry

“Lawbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawbreaking. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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